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'Minimal' job losses expected at VNU in UK

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Former VNU staff have entered into a consultation period with new publisher Incisive, after the purchase of the Netherlands-based b2b company's UK division in February this year.

A spokesman said jobs losses were expected but they would be minimal, and that it hoped to re-employ staff elsewhere within the company.

When Press Gazette asked whether as many as 40 jobs would go, the spokesman said this was "way wide of the mark", adding that consultation was focused mainly on VNU's back office operations.

Incisive acquired VNU Business Publications — home of Accountancy Age, Financial Director and Computing — in February as part of what chief executive Tim Weller called its "aggressive acquisition strategy".

Incisive's purchase of VNU's UK division has also meant the departure of VNU's UK managing director Ruud Bakker from that part of the operation sold off. He remains CEO of VNU Business Media — its European operation.

The VNU deal boosted Incisive's size by a third — with approximately 275 staff added to Incisive's 700 and bringing in an extra £42m in revenue to its existing £100m.